Yeah dallas got jagr, whitney, roy but they're old, I don't think they'll last in a shortened season, plus Dallas lost a whole bunch of toughness; Ott,Souray,Fistric, which would help in a shortened season. Plus remember last season with all the hype about columbus, with them getting carter and wisnewski, maybe they'd be a playoff team. New players, even good ones dont necessary guarantee success. That being said maybe 15th is too low, but I dont see them as a playoff team.

I am always surprised by some folks who see the landscape of the NHL changing so drastically from one year to the next. Statistically speaking, 80% of the teams from one season make the playoffs the following season. That means only 2-4 teams who make the playoffs one season will miss the following season.

Furthermore, the shorter season doesn't make a difference. Although we only have one comparison, in the last 48 games season only NYI and MONT made the playoffs after missing the playoffs the season before (PHI and QUE made the year before and missed the next year).

Point is, the predictions that have teams climbing 12 spots in the standings or others dropping 12 spots are a little more than far fetched.

Just sayin.........

Daniel Alfredsson is the MVP of the universe. All hail the Ottawa Senators!!!!!

I am always surprised by some folks who see the landscape of the NHL changing so drastically from one year to the next. Statistically speaking, 80% of the teams from one season make the playoffs the following season. That means only 2-4 teams who make the playoffs one season will miss the following season.

Furthermore, the shorter season doesn't make a difference. Although we only have one comparison, in the last 48 games season only NYI and MONT made the playoffs after missing the playoffs the season before (PHI and QUE made the year before and missed the next year).

Point is, the predictions that have teams climbing 12 spots in the standings or others dropping 12 spots are a little more than far fetched.

Just sayin.........

Daniel Alfredsson is the MVP of the universe. All hail the Ottawa Senators!!!!!

Beans,

Although you are still wearing my beloved BLUE AND WHITE MAPLE LEAF COLOURS . . . I do believe it is time to have another wager. And I believe it's my turn to offer terms, so here goes.

I really loved the format of our bet you came up with last year, that was excellent - so I'll try to do something similar here, but it will be a point system. Assume all Leafs are with myself, slozo, all Oilers with Beans.

Hey Slozo, I will make you a similar bet to the one you proposed to Beans using goal deferential, Shutouts, Standings with playoff position +2 as proposed, Top 2 Forwards player points, and Top 1 Defensive player points. Ottawa (me), Toronto (you) for signature rights at outset of regular season for playoffs and offseason.

I accept, assuming standard avatar of the winners team through the offseason???

Daniel Alfredsson is the MVP of the universe. All hail the Ottawa Senators!!!!!

Beans, you do realize that if you lose again, you will have sported the Maple Leaf logo for 10 outta 15 months come next season??? All kidding aside, another great bet proposal between you two. Well done Slozo, i like th fact you didn't just copy the exact same bet as last year (even though it was good too).

Hey Slozo, I will make you a similar bet to the one you proposed to Beans using goal deferential, Shutouts, Standings with playoff position +2 as proposed, Top 2 Forwards player points, and Top 1 Defensive player points. Ottawa (me), Toronto (you) for signature rights at outset of regular season for playoffs and offseason.

Short season might be the biggest leading story of course, but for me, these are the interesting teams to follow:

1) After their big signings, where does Minnesota land in the power rankings?

2) Does the shortened season really give the Kings a "bounceback" advantage?

3) Detroit is playing it's first season in over 20 years without Lidstrom . . . and Zetterberg and Datsyuk are on the decline. Are they still relevant as a contender, or even a playoff team?

4) Vancouver looks like a mess with the Luongo situation and key injuries to start . . . can they get through it to once again be a finals threat?

5) The young Oilers . . . is this the year they break through and those young guns take them to the playoffs?

Myself, I do have Minny solidly in the playoffs as a contender; I think LA will have a great season, yes; I think Detroit misses the playoffs (a combination of Lidstrom's absence, and Zetterberg's hip with mediocre goaltending); I think Vancouver will be helped by their weak division and still finish near the top of the standings; and I predict the Oil still don't make it (defence).

Good points all around Slozo. I mentioned somewhere before i did my predictions that i could see the Canucks in the 4-6 spot but when i went to do my predictions, i put Minny at 3 (someone's gotta win the div and get the "gift" seed) and it just looked too funny. As Beans says, not often do teams make that big of a jump. So i went back to Vancouver winning the 3 seed by default (div winner). So far it looks like i shoulda left Minny in there!

Good points all around Slozo. I mentioned somewhere before i did my predictions that i could see the Canucks in the 4-6 spot but when i went to do my predictions, i put Minny at 3 (someone's gotta win the div and get the "gift" seed) and it just looked too funny. As Beans says, not often do teams make that big of a jump. So i went back to Vancouver winning the 3 seed by default (div winner). So far it looks like i shoulda left Minny in there!

I went through a similar thought process, actually. The key to me was goaltending - I thought Schneider over Harding, and a slightly better D. Hasn't looked that way so far (and Luongo starting the second game has seriously complicated thing) but, it's still early.

Hey Slozo, I will make you a similar bet to the one you proposed to Beans using goal deferential, Shutouts, Standings with playoff position +2 as proposed, Top 2 Forwards player points, and Top 1 Defensive player points. Ottawa (me), Toronto (you) for signature rights at outset of regular season for playoffs and offseason.

I was gonna leave that open to the top 2 forwards at the end of the year, but if you wish to pick names for the players then those 2 would be the picks for me. Not certain if Turris is gonna be the #2 points player in Ottawa this year rather than Michalek. He is coming in with a boatload of confidence.

I enjoyed the friendly wager from last year and have commited my signature to Slozo. My avatar would be open for one of your choosing for the duration of the playoffs and offseason, against your signature of similar quality to last years bet. I am trying to figure out a fair bet this year between Ottawa and Edmonton. You were a great sport with the signature last year. Problem is I can't think of a fair way to structure the bet as your team is likely gonna wipe my team offensively, but will likely do so with a higher number of goals against.

The only way I can figure it fairly is by goal differential and difference in standings year over year. 1 point for difference in goal differencial and 2 points for team movement in the standings from year end to year end. I believe Ottawa's goal differential will be better than twice Edmonton's rise in the standings.

If Ottawa gets 180 goals for, 170 goals against and finishes in 7th that would amount to 12 points for me, due to 1 position higher in the standings at years end.

If Edmonton gets 200 goals for, 190 goals against and finishes in 9th that would amount to 20 points for you, due to a 5 place rise in the standings.

Guest2585 ( )

Posted - 01/23/2013 : 12:52:56

Toronto fans, why is the most profitable team in the nhl always at the bottom for team points, not player points. When management feels it's easier to buy than develope players heart is lost. You don't buy heart you develope heart for playing for a certain organization. Instead of paying for high priced players, buy a high priced player developer ex. Bowman, Sather, Arbour, Gretzky, Lemieux, Sakic, Yzerman. Like the salary Leafs gave Kessel, as a Bruins fan Kessel isn't half the player Wendel Clarke was. No one has any heart on that team from the water boy to the owners, it shows year after year after year. Thanx for being the Leafs, from one of the biggest Bruins fans, wooooo

In all your ranting I see no predictions. As a Sens fan I usually chime in with a good leafs bashing, but guest, of all the threads to post in, why here? Of all the ranting did you put Gretzky, Sakic, Lemieux, Yzerman in the same player developer category as Sather, Bowman? I just dont get the point of this post and as a fan of a team which should love a good leafs bash, this was weak.

quote:Originally posted by Guest2585

Toronto fans, why is the most profitable team in the nhl always at the bottom for team points, not player points. When management feels it's easier to buy than develope players heart is lost. You don't buy heart you develope heart for playing for a certain organization. Instead of paying for high priced players, buy a high priced player developer ex. Bowman, Sather, Arbour, Gretzky, Lemieux, Sakic, Yzerman. Like the salary Leafs gave Kessel, as a Bruins fan Kessel isn't half the player Wendel Clarke was. No one has any heart on that team from the water boy to the owners, it shows year after year after year. Thanx for being the Leafs, from one of the biggest Bruins fans, wooooo

Guest2585 I agree you had some points but wrong topic to post it in. The Leafs have proven over and over that they are missmanaged. So here is another Prediction

After the Leafs finnish last and win the 1st over all pick they will trade it to and there 2nd rd pick to the Islanders for Nino Niederriter, and Vishnovsky ( oh Forgot that they have a new GM) Never mind the trade they pick Jones.

Why or why do people think the Oilers need defensive help??? They need offensive scoring from the back end if anything, but defense???

N. Shultz and Smid were both top 10 in block shots for defensemen last season

Smid and Fistric were both top 20 in hits for defensement

Jeff Petry blocked over 100 shots and had over 100 hits.

The Oilers defense is fine. That may be hard to believe after the beating they took at the hands of San Jose, but they are fine. That group of 6 might be missing the elite #1 but I don't think they are too far behind many groups in the NHL.

Beans, i'll say this much. That "missing" elite #1 may just be J. Shultz. Time will tell. As for offense from the back end right now, i think the aforementioned Shultz and Whitney will provide enough of that. When it comes to PP, they will often use a fwd on the point anyway so they'd only need one of these, likely Schultz, there anyway, leaving Whitney to qb the 2nd unit.

Now, i don't know if blocked shots is a lot to go on as far as defense is concerned, but there must be a reason that it's widely reported, and yes, this is from so called hockey experts/insiders, that the Edmonton Oilers lack the defensive depth to be considered a serious contender at this time. I've read countless predicitons from "hockey minds", be it Bob Mackenzie, Pierre Lebrun, etc or bloggers like Greg Wyshynski (Puck Daddy), and most of them say "the Oilers just don't have the defense to get them to the post season".

Personally i don't think that list of guys is all that bad. But why is it all these people who cover hockey or work in "hockey circles" think otherwise???

Why or why do people think the Oilers need defensive help??? They need offensive scoring from the back end if anything, but defense???

N. Shultz and Smid were both top 10 in block shots for defensemen last season

Smid and Fistric were both top 20 in hits for defensement

Jeff Petry blocked over 100 shots and had over 100 hits.

The Oilers defense is fine. That may be hard to believe after the beating they took at the hands of San Jose, but they are fine. That group of 6 might be missing the elite #1 but I don't think they are too far behind many groups in the NHL.

Being a good hitter isn't necessarily being a good defenceman. Even a Luke Schenn who is always top ten, top 5 in hitting, cannot by any stretch be imagined as anything above a #4 defenceman.

That being said, time will tell Beans. The longer I watch hockey these days in the new NHL, the more I realise that a defensive system, and not the players, make the real difference. And the system in Oiler-land may be a fun and entertaining style, but . . . absent a stellar, game-stealing goalie, it's not one that supports your defence corps or makes them look good in any way.

Slozo, you put into perspective what i meant in my Oiler prediction in fine fashion.

When i watch the Oilers play....its fun, open, run and gun hockey...which is enjoying for the fans to watch.....vs......mid 90`s Devil1s style hockey....BUT

it just doesn`t win games. Toronto tried this system under Ron Wilson...see what happened.

First of all, using this style, you have to have a top 5 NHL goalie...which the Oilers clearly don`t have ( neither did the leafs )....then you need very skilled forwards...which the oilers DO HAVE ....but they are young and learning...even then you still have to have an elite goalie....

I just finished watching Leafs / NYI. For 25 mins. the leafs played Randy . C ( defensive hockey ).....went up 3-1..... and then tried to full the net afterwards, instead of sticking to the system...

Like the flick of a switch they were last years leafs, playing last years style....what happened ? They lost the game in 10 mins....

Defense wins....if your team hasn`t got a defensive system in place today...your screwed.

Even the Detroit Red Wings play defensive minded first...you have to....thats why they are always on top....its not that no team hasn`t the skill level close to Detroit......THEY PLAY WITH A SYSTEM AND STICK TO IT...ALWAYS...

You don`t need an elite goalie when you keep opposing shots to the outside and rarely give up odd man rushes and rarely take stupid penalities......they are the most organized group of hockey players in the entire league....year in - year out...thats why they win

Why or why do people think the Oilers need defensive help??? They need offensive scoring from the back end if anything, but defense???

N. Shultz and Smid were both top 10 in block shots for defensemen last season

Smid and Fistric were both top 20 in hits for defensement

Jeff Petry blocked over 100 shots and had over 100 hits.

The Oilers defense is fine. That may be hard to believe after the beating they took at the hands of San Jose, but they are fine. That group of 6 might be missing the elite #1 but I don't think they are too far behind many groups in the NHL.

Hey Slozo, I never did get an answer for top forwards and defenseman. As of my last post was hoping to leave out the names just the positions for the point getter's, which seems more relavent today with the loss of both Spezza and Karlsson and it only seems fair to ask now. If I am locked into Spezza/Karlsson I might as well change the signature now.

quote:Originally posted by JOSHUACANADA

quote:Originally posted by slozo

quote:Originally posted by JOSHUACANADA

Hey Slozo, I will make you a similar bet to the one you proposed to Beans using goal deferential, Shutouts, Standings with playoff position +2 as proposed, Top 2 Forwards player points, and Top 1 Defensive player points. Ottawa (me), Toronto (you) for signature rights at outset of regular season for playoffs and offseason.

I was gonna leave that open to the top 2 forwards at the end of the year, but if you wish to pick names for the players then those 2 would be the picks for me. Not certain if Turris is gonna be the #2 points player in Ottawa this year rather than Michalek. He is coming in with a boatload of confidence.